


Anatomy Of a Loss

by little0bird



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Episode: s08e02 A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Gen, Jaime's missing hand, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-30
Updated: 2019-06-30
Packaged: 2020-05-31 01:19:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19415500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/little0bird/pseuds/little0bird





	Anatomy Of a Loss

‘How’d you lose the hand?’ Jon asked

Jaime held up the gold hand. ‘In service to a lady.’ He nodded toward Brienne in the snowy yard with Podrick. 

‘Doesn’t seem like she needs protecting,’ Jon commented, one hand idly rubbing Ghost’s ears. 

‘She doesn’t, generally. But she was also unarmed.’ Jaime replied. ‘It was a group of Roose Bolton’s men, though. Vicious bastards. As much as she denies it, as soon as Lady Brienne opens her mouth, you know she’s highborn. And they intended to rape her. So I traded my hand for her virtue. And her life. Small price to pay, really.’ He swallowed hard.

‘You’re no’ the man everyone says you are.’

Jaime let out of soft bark of sardonic laughter. ‘Don’t let them hear you say that.’

‘D’you know the name o’ the man that did it?’ Jon asked.

‘Locke. It’s all I know.’

Jon grunted. ‘Might have died in the battle here with Ramsay Bolton.’ He gazed over the yard. ‘Or been taken prisoner.’

‘You’d remember him if you had any contact with him,’ Jaime said. ‘Sadistic bastard. Fought anything that moved if it looked at him the wrong way. Decent with a sword, good reflexes, but would hang back just enough until he figured out his opponent’s weaknesses. Had a beard. Wore his hair brushed back from his face. Had two scars. One on each side of his face.’ Jaime drew a line from just below the center his eye down to his jaw. ‘Just so.’

Jon started. He hadn’t forgotten that face. ‘He was in Castle Black. He was killed north o’ the Wall.’

Jaime’s eyes closed briefly. ‘By a wight?’

‘No.’ Jon shook his head, remembering the grisly sight of Locke’s body. ‘Don’t know who did it. It was during a raid on some renegade members o’ the Watch. Broken neck. Someone twisted it so hard, he should have been looking backward.’

‘Damn. I’d like to shake that man’s hand.’ Jaime felt a tendril of vengeance curl in his chest. He would have dearly loved to be the one to exact revenge on Locke, but knowing the man was dead was good enough. 

Ghost nudged Jon’s hand with his nose, and Jon began scratching under the direwolf’s chin. ‘He gave us some story about poaching game for his starving children. And seeing as the Watch is a place for bastards and broken men, we didn’t ask too many questions.’

‘He was most likely looking for your brothers on Bolton’s orders. After the Greyjoys took Winterfell, everyone assumed they’d head straight for Castle Black and you.’ Jaime warily eyed Ghost, who licked Jon’s wrist once and gazed at Jaime with his strange, glowing red eyes. ‘You’re not going to set your beast on me, are you?’

‘No. Not today, at least. I need every man I can get for the battle.’

‘I met your brother Robb’s wolf once. Scared the shit out of me. Literally,’ Jaime admitted. He watched Brienne stride amongst the soldiers. ‘If I could make a request…’ Jon nodded. ‘I’d like to be placed under Lady Brienne’s command.’

‘You don’t want a command o’ your own?’

‘No. The North remembers. Isn’t that what you say? The North remembers?’

‘Yes.’

‘The North will probably never forgive me. They would never follow me. But they will follow _her_ to the ends of the earth. And it would be an honor to serve under her.’

Jon gave Ghost a final pat. ‘You’ll have to ask Lady Brienne. It’s her decision.’ He walked away. ‘Come, Ghost.’ The direwolf gave Jaime a last look, then trotted off after Jon.


End file.
